Chalk Line Antenna Reel - Best Wire Antenna Hack I Have Ever Used! EFHW, Dipoles, and More.

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9 ай бұрын

This Is The BEST Wire Antenna Hack for Ham Radio and Short Wave Radio.
This is now my favorite wire hack for Ham Radio Wire Antennas. Updated note, I did use the copper fishing line and it's awesome. Why, because I can use an alligator clip with it and have the reel side next to my efhw.. Copper adds weight.
This trick works with:
CB Radio Dipoles
Ham Radio Dipoles
EFHW,
EFRW
Random Wire
9:1
49:1
64:1
Fishing,
and others if you can get the right lengths.
#hamradio
#amateurradio
#antenna
Want to buy a full EFHW with a reel - Check out this video • REEL POTA-BLE Antenna ...
Want to buy the parts and build a wire spool - Here's some affiliate links:
Irwin Strait Line - amzn.to/3LbXfZM
BNTECHGO 30 Gauge - amzn.to/3LbIwOG
or
American Fishing Wire Surfstrand - amzn.to/3sH5bvS
Want written instructions on how to do this? There are plenty on google, but w3atb did a good job
webcache.googleusercontent.co...

Пікірлер: 60

@ryankc9oza118 9 ай бұрын

Glad it worked out. Great easy project

@tilghmansmith5705 4 ай бұрын

I did this! Great idea. Works like a champ. Thanks!

@HAMRADIODUDE 4 ай бұрын

Glad it helped!

@deankq4adj125 9 ай бұрын

Wonderful video Dude!

@K3JRZOnTheAir 9 ай бұрын

Sound like it worked like a charm! 73!

@1979Iceman 9 ай бұрын

Awesome video! I love the idea about having 2 for a dipole 😊 I’m with you on the over thinking things lol. You kept it simple and elegant, love it! Now I need to go buy a few more spools lol.

@WECB640 9 ай бұрын

Dude, you get some corrugated metal as a spinning background behind you and put on a real hard stutter, and you've got a classic Max Headroom impersonation. LOL!!!

@Bdub1952 4 ай бұрын

Thank you for your ideas. I just completed a kite reel antenna, holding an 84' end fed, using a cheap kite reel I found on Amazon. Works a treat.

@kb8m203 9 ай бұрын

Nice job. Been wondering bour doing something similar, now i need to give it a try.

@batica81 9 ай бұрын

I've seen a ham use this in the field, it works really well.

@Steve-GM0HUU 9 ай бұрын

That is a good idea. I remember seeing clothes line winders (kind you get for camping) and thinking, I could use that for an antenna. Despite using chalkines for DIY, this idea never occurred to me 😂.

@Kevin-tt5wt 9 ай бұрын

I'd spray paint about 6" of line different colors where your bands are most resonant. ORANGE/17M BLUE 20/M etc

@HAMRADIODUDE 9 ай бұрын

That's a great idea!

@happydog4929 9 ай бұрын

Thanks

@AlvinMcManus 9 ай бұрын

Good idea. So good in fact someone is already marketing it! Still cool.There are some really big chalk-line reels in the construction biz. Some the size of a small football.

@HAMRADIODUDE 9 ай бұрын

Yeah I realize somebody else was marketing it when I talked about it last week on the video where I showcased the product that their marketing

@Barty.Crowell 7 ай бұрын

First video of yours I've been and my first thought is the ham version of Explosions&Fire. Subscribed!

@HAMRADIODUDE 7 ай бұрын

I need to check this guy out! 🤣 thanks

@JeffCowan 9 ай бұрын

Wait, if the dog has really pointy-up ears, can you just use those for your winder?

@503Nick 9 ай бұрын

Good morning!

@PalmettoflyerSC 5 ай бұрын

Love your videos and your T-shirt. Are you in the Charleston, SC area or just a vacation trip?

@HAMRADIODUDE 5 ай бұрын

I just love visiting sle of Palms, Charleston etc. I feel like a trip is in order soon ( i need a new shirt)

@mrkopecky 8 күн бұрын

I used 28 gauge. I broke it quite easily. At perfect EFHW length. If/when I break it again. I’ll pick up some 22 or 24.

@Aimsport-video 9 ай бұрын

Great for tunable counterpoise as well.

@enginedave 9 ай бұрын

Tape measure would work too

@byd3k157 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for posting! I just built my Irwin special. Do I still add chalk? 73;s and Happy New Year! Hope to see you at Hamcation.

@HAMRADIODUDE 5 ай бұрын

Adding chalk would be a mess, but also, would leave your mark...... So it's your choice, no extra dB. No hamcation for me. Have fun!

@knightwolf1872 9 ай бұрын

What are you using for the hitch mount & pole? Would like to do something like that with my truck.

@Barty.Crowell 7 ай бұрын

One thing I've heard of with this setup is to remove a little insulation *about* where it's resonant and use an alligator clip to connect from the transformer to the antenna

@KN4VA 9 ай бұрын

With 30 gauge wire, what would be the reasonable max SSB power one might expect to use? I am assume QRP levels like 20w or less, but I am not sure.

@k2cjbradio 9 ай бұрын

Great hack! 73 de Chris K2CJB

@DanielFlores-K7PKB 9 ай бұрын

How do you connect the wire in the winder to the transceiver? Thanks for the video.

@HAMRADIODUDE 9 ай бұрын

A ring adapter at the end of the wire onto my efrw post. I'll get a quick video out next week. Or a alligator clip. Cheers

@KarlWitsman 9 ай бұрын

Funny! But beware... if you think radio gear is expensive, a wife is much more expensive. Ha ha!

@Jody_VE5SAR 9 ай бұрын

I was going to suggest adding computerized motor control to the winder for remote/auto tuning... but no... go find a wife instead! 🙂

@HAMRADIODUDE 9 ай бұрын

Haha. You know, I thought about it recently as I have a motor sitting in my garage. Winter project!

@justawfulgamer7738 9 ай бұрын

How do you measure lengths for different bands?

@HAMRADIODUDE 9 ай бұрын

I used an antenna analyzer to determine where I was resonate

@KuehncIncorporated 9 ай бұрын

You'll need a bigger balun for a "wife"

@ronrico2620 9 ай бұрын

When you can't cast a baitcaster so you tell everyone the zebco is the best fishing pole

@revbikerbigd8664 5 ай бұрын

What did you use 9-1 ,49-1 , 4-1 ????

@HAMRADIODUDE 5 ай бұрын

I've used them all.

@revbikerbigd8664 5 ай бұрын

@@HAMRADIODUDE in this video, what did you use??? 49:1 ?

@HAMRADIODUDE 5 ай бұрын

at 5:14, it shows a 9:1 unun. So I will assume that. Cheers@@revbikerbigd8664

@justawfulgamer7738 9 ай бұрын

I tried 30lb test with the blue one. The wire gets all twisted, then gets caught in the Irwin and breaks. Pretty annoying

@HAMRADIODUDE 9 ай бұрын

I did not have that problem as I reeled it in with tension on the wire, did you try it that way directly from the spool while keeping it tight?

@snakezdewiggle6084 9 ай бұрын

You should make some and sell them.

@enginedave 9 ай бұрын

Someone already does. Real POTA-ble EFHW antenna

@snakezdewiggle6084 9 ай бұрын

I'd rather buy from here ! , ;)

@j.d.-alawyerexplains5064 9 ай бұрын

As to the wife…choose carefully!😊

@LB0FI 9 ай бұрын

Less than eight minutes?

@therandomwire1 9 ай бұрын

I thought you GOT on KZfaq to find a wife 😅. So I'm guessing that leaving wire on the winder makes a coil. How much does that coil make a difference vs straight wire? Sounds like another video, right after you find a partner. Chuck's gonna be pissed.